Closure for tanks



May 23, 1933. w A. M. ELLIS CLOSURE FOR TANKS Filed Feb.` 8, 1932 Ctttorneg Patented May 23, 1933 t: se. n, on une, N'nw Yoan Application tiled February 8, 1932. erial Ro. 591,682.

The present invention relates to improvements in closures for tanks, and more particularly refers to a closure for gasoline or other iniammable fluid tanks in which the closure will automatically seek a closed and preferably locked position to reduce as much as possible and eventually avoiding the hazard of fire and the likelihood of theft of the fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cover for gasoline tanks as used on automobiles wherein a hin ed spring closed lookin ca is provided which is nor- -mally maintaine by the spring in a locked condition, openable only by means of a key invested in an authorized person.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatically closing cap for gasoline tank, such as will sprin to a closed position as soon as the supply ose nozzle is withdrawn.

A still further object of the invention is to rovide such an automaticall closing cap or gasoline or other tanks w ere the automatic closing of the ca will act to reduce fire hazard by cutting o the supply o oxyen and, therefore, stifling any re that may have been started in the infiammable iuid.

With the invention the danger of fire in case of a wrecked car is also very much reduced inasmuch as the cap would not come ofi the tank and gasoline would not be lost or spilled unless, oi course, the tank itself was broken in the accident.;

It is a still further object of the invention to reduce an automatic cap assembly which will) be a part of the tank itself, installed at, the time-of manufacture of the tank, so as to be an inte al part of the tank or other container at t e time of manufacture; and will consist of few parts not causing damage to the tank at the time of installation, but acting to reinforce the tank particularly about the filling neck. y

A still further object of the invention is container, and 6 indicates the usual l to provide a device which has no connection with the intake neck, butwhich is a art of the tank and cooperates with the inta e neck without forming any considerable enlar ement or obstruction projecting beyond .t e 50 end of the filling neck. t

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinater, and will be more particularly pointed out ih the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein likesymbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary` to of a tank showing the improve stalled thereon.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 in Flgure 1. A

Figure 3 is a transverse section teken on 65 the line 3 3 also in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 shows a top plan view, partly broken away indicatin a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 represents a gasoline or other tank or 70 neck extendingabout the filling opening o plan view to device inthe tank except that the filling neck is preferably very short and extends only a small distance from the plane of the tank wall from which it emerges. The filling neck is also beveled as to its exterior wall, tapering outwardly.

In accordance with the invention a base plate 7 is secured permanently tothe 5 80 about the filling neck 6. Rivets 8 are shown as securing the base plate 7 to the tank, but it will be understood that such base plate may be Welded or otherwise aiixedto the tank. The base plate 7 is a wide long plate and while solid, except for the slot hereinafter mentioned, it is o'f very little height above the short filling neck 6 in order to make a compact andv strong assembly with the tank and to avoid objectionable projections extending be ond the tank.

n the base plate 7 is formed an elongated slot 9 having laterally enlarged spaces 10 at its inner en l The slot 9 preferably opens through one end of the base plate 7 but at this point the slot is closed by a companion hinge plate 11, which may be of the same thickness as the base plate 7 and of an elgual width but of materiall less length.y o the hinge plate is hinge ly or movabl secured a cap or closure plate 12. A hingedvpintle in this instance is shown at 13. AThe ca late 12 is so proportioned and constructe t at it will accurately conform to the slot 9 and to its circular enlar ement 10, so that the ca` plate may fit ilus Within the base plate 7 w en in its closed locking position as indicated in the drawin The cap plate 12 carries a iiange 13 whic is of annular form to conform to the usual character of the lling neck 6, and which is beveled to conform'to the bevel of the filling neck 'in order to form an accurate fit.' This flange 13 extends from an intermediate portion of the cap plate 12 inwhich intermediate portion are one or more perforations or holes 14 to permit of the proper breathin of the tank; for instance, for the purpose o? admitting air to relieve the vacuum asfuel is withdrawny from the tank under suction demands of the motor.

Within the flan e 13 there may be provided a gasket 15 of fe t, rubber or other suitable material for taking against the mouth of the filling neck 6 in order to form a tight joint.

The cap plate 12 has an enlargement at its free end conforming to the enlargement 10 of the slot 9, so as to accurately fit the same and also to provide ample space in which to house the lock mechanism, indicated at 16, a key hole thereto being indicated at 17 in which is inserted the key 18. A latch 19 of the usual reciprocating form is indicated'at 1 9 and is carried by the cap plate 12 and as cooperating with a striker socket in the base plate. The nose. of the latch 19 is so beveled that it will be automatically retired by the act of closing the cap plate; after which the latch will, of course, be automatically projected into the striker socket. The key 18, carried only by the owner of the automobile or some other authorized person will enable the latch 19 to be withdrawn andthe cap plate 12 lifted, so as'to give access to the ling neck for the purfpose of inserting a hose nozzle at a gasoline llin glstation. A atspring 2O is secured to the inged plate 11 by any suitable means, for instance, by a rivet 21 and it lies in a counter-sunk portion 22 of the plate 11 and alongand against a portion of the Vcap plate 12, acting to automatically close the cap plate and return the cap' late to closed osition after the hose nozz e is removed om the filling neck.

In Figure 4, I have shown an alternative form of spring in which the coil spring 23 is wound about the pintle 13a having one end 24 disposed against the hinged plate 11 and the other end 25 against the cap plate 12, thus exerting at all times the potential energy stored in its wound convolutions 23 which are under tension vv`.h en the cap plate is lifted and which will, therefore, tend to unwind and close the cap plate when the lifting force is removed.

Ihe cap plate will, therefore, be locked at all times 1n order to prevent theft of the gasoline by siphoning from the tank; and fire will be eliminated .by the automatic closure of the tank and y'bythe' same token any fire already started inthe tank will be extinguished by the automatic closure of the cap when the ,filling nozzle is removed as such tank will shut-off further access of oxygen.

It is conceivable that the lock might be dispensed with and merely a spring latch 19 maintained in which case a knob for retracting the latch 19 would project out through the key hole slot 17.

The recess 10, while being shown as lsubstantially circular in the drawing may of course be elliptical, square or of other form.

'If `automatic closing of the device is not desired, the same arrangement may be used without the `spring or the latch 19. A pivoted cover -26 is also preferably provided for the keyhole4 17 to prevent the entry of water in inclement weather and theresultant ice freezing in the hole in'cold weather.

If the gas tank is covered by an apron or other metal, covering, the base and hinge plates will be fastened to the apron or covering; and the filling neck will extend through the apron or coveringa sufiicient distance to form the joint, just as if the plates were fastened directly to the tank itself.

It is obvious that various changes and modifioations may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims What isv claimed is 1. In combination with a tank"having a short filling opening and a filling neck proagainst said fillingneck, spring means for automatically moving said closure cap to a 'jecting up from the opening with a bevel'exlneck closed position, and a latch between sure cap and base plate.

2. In combination with a tank having a filling opening and a short taperin filling projecting up` from the tank a out the opening, a fiat base late permanently secured to the tank and) having an elon ated slot extending to both sides of said lling opening with a laterally enlarged space at the inner end of said slot, a hinge plate permanently secured to said tankat one end of the base plate and closing the slot at this end, a cap plate adapted to fit Hush into said slot, said cap plate having at its intermediate portion an annular flange projecting inwardly with an inner bevel wall fittin snugly about the fillingneck, the interme iate'portion .of the cap plate circumscribed by sald annular flange being perforated, a gasket carried by the cap plate within said flange in position to engage against said filling neck, s ring means to urge the cap plate to a closedp plate having an enlarged head ortion for fitting into the enlarged spaces `o the slot in the base plate, and a latch between the head portion of the cap plate and said-base late.

3. In combination filling opening and neck projecting up from the tank about the opening, a fiat base plate permanently secured said cloto the tank and having an elongatedslot extending to both sides of said fi with a laterally enlarged s end of said slot, a hinge' p secured to said tank at one ling opening ace at the inner ate permanently end of the base plate and closing the slot at this end, a cap v plate hinged to to fit flush into said hingeplate and adapted said slot, said cap plate having at its intermediate portion an annular flange projecting inwardly with an inner bevel Wall fitting snugly` about the filling neck, the intermediate portion of the cap plate circumscribed being perforated, a gasket carried by the cap plate within said ilan e in position to engage, against said filling nec s the cap plate to a clos position, said cap plate having an enlar ed head ting into the enlarge spaces o the slot inthe base plate, a latch carried b hinged to said hinge plate and position, said cap by said annular fiange ring means to urge from said filling neck and receiving the filling neck in said slot, a flat extending overa substantial area of the upper wall of the tank and (permanently secured to the tank abutting sai baseplate, a cover plate hin ed to said hinge plate and adapted to move own flush in'to said slot and having wide hinge plate means for fitting about and closing the filling neck, spring means for tending toclose said closure plate, and locking means between theJ closure plate and said base plate.

ARTHUR M. ELLIS.

with a tank having a" a short Itapering filling ortion for fitthe head portion y and adapted to interlock with said base plate,

and a lock carried by said head portion for securing the latch in closed position.

4. In combination with a gasoline tank :forv automobiles havingA an opening in v,its upper portion and a short filling neck extending upwardly about said opening, a base plate separate and distinct from said neck and extending to a substantial area over ofthe tank about said neck, said base plate being flat and wide, means for permanently securin said base plate to the 'apperwall of the tan said base plate having an elongated opening extending at its sides and ends away the upper wall 

